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The Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission has cautioned Ghanaians, particularly in areas where Small Scale Mining (SSM) is dominant, against the acquisition of SSM licenses on behalf of foreigners. According to the commission, the SSM license, which entitles holders to extract minerals on small scale basis, was granted exclusively to Ghanaians and only in designated areas with a maximum area of 12 small scale mining cadastral units or 25.2 acres. Mr. Desmond Boahen, the Western Regional Inspector of Minerals Commission gave the caution on Friday at a stakeholder�s sensitization workshop on the statutory requirements for the acquisition of minerals right held at Diaso in the Upper Denkyira West District of the Central Region. Participants, drawn from traditional councils, security agencies, District Assemblies, the Water Resources Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a cross section of the media, were taken through �Procedure for granting mineral rights� and �Environmental Assessment Regulation�. Mr. Boahen explained that Ghana�s constitution and the Minerals Right Act stated that all minerals found in Ghana were vested in the state for and on behalf of its people and that requisite license was needed before anyone could explore them. He said types of mineral rights included reconnaissance licenses, prospecting license, mining lease, restricted reconnaissance license, restricted prospecting license and restricted mining lease and that the acquisition of mineral rights required applicants identify type of mineral rights to apply for, identify area of interest and official search reports. The reconnaissance license which entitled holders to search for specified minerals was granted for a renewable period of 12 months while the prospecting license which entitled holders to search for minerals to determine their extent and economic value was granted for up to three years. He added that the mining lease was granted for a renewable period of up to 30 years while the restricted mining lease was granted for 15 years or less depending on mine life. Mineral applicants were required to provide documents which included an official search report from the Commission, a work programme and expenditure for the proposed mineral operation, annual report of the company and certified copies of company�s registration documents and EPA permits. The reason for the request for the documents was to help the Commission asses the prospective company�s financial, technical and managerial competence and appealed to applicants to follow the laid down procedures. Mr. Boahen therefore urged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to ensure that small scale miners they recommend for license renewal had valid EPA permits, Company registration documents and land reclamation certificates. Mr. Boahen said the land reclamation certificate which proved that lands previously mined were reclaimed was very necessary because there was the need for sustainable development to protect the land for generations unborn. He said the relationship between the Minerals Commission and other related institutions involved in granting mineral licenses had resulted in the overall development of the mining industry and therefore urged them to continually support the commission in its activities. The Western Regional Senior Mines Inspector of the Commission, Mr. Isaac Mwinbelle noted that the inspectorate was mandated to regulate minerals and mining activities and enforce compliance of the laws by ensuring that there was a judicious exploration of mineral resources. He said the Commission was also to ensure there was no environmental degradation as well as injuries and harm to mining company employees, third parties and their property and that it was as a result of these duties that the workshop had been organized and the promotion of legal and regulated minerals and mining activities,. Mr. Mwinbelle expressed worry that illegal mining menace had plagued the country and therefore appealed to traditional authorities, security agencies, district assemblies and citizenry to help improve mining operations in the country. An Assistant Programmes Officer of the EPA, Mr. Kodwo Opoku Mensah, said the Environmental Assessment Regulations was a requirement for the specific undertakings in the county to ensure environmental soundness and sustainability in the development of undertakings in the country. He said the procedures of small and medium scale mining included appropriate site plan endorsed by a surveyor, recommendation letter from the District Assembly, brief description of operation methods and cost of reclamation proposals after which the site is screened. Mr Opoku Mensah said EPA permits had conditions which mandated miners to give notices of commencement of operation, presentation of annual environmental report and management plans to the agency as well as obtain all other relevant permits and licenses applicable to the sector. Mr. Opoku Mensah urged miners to ensure that the appropriate documentation and permission was sought before they mined and called on stakeholders especially land owners to help strike a balance between development and conservation of lands. The District Chief Executive of UDW, Mr. Ambrose Amoa Nhia said the Assembly was doing its best to ensure that illegal mining, which had polluted their water bodies and degraded their land, was reduced to its barest minimum and therefore called on stakeholders to join the fight. Some participants appealed to the commission to hasten processes in the acquisition of licenses to help reduce illegal mining whilst others expressed concern on the need to intensity education on the effects of illegal mining.